A long story but you can stop reading anywhere along the line...

Did You Know? 

 "In 1916 there were two spurs of the Florida, Alabama, and Gulf Railroad and both were west of the (previous) Yellow River Railroad which ran from the L&N [Railroad] in Crestview (Okaloosa County, Florida) and on to Florala (Alabama). 

The first spur was from Milton NE to Whitley or Whittley in Alabama. The second spur went to Falco from Galliver. (Other spurs)? They were all taken over by the L&N but I do not know the time frame for that".   (Notes from Mary Ellen Wexler 2006, to myself).

[I found this map at the Library of Congress; not sure if it is pertinent to the discussion of railroads in Northwest Florida, but it may be relative): 
https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3931p.rr001970/?r=0.172,0.06,0.131,0.053,0

Here are some other links that are interesting re: railroads and Florida:

http://www.frrm.org/history/

https://www.floridamemory.com/photographiccollection/photo_exhibits/trains/

You may wonder why I'm even interested in this topic.  One, I am a native of Okaloosa County.  The railroad no longer runs through Crestview, but it hasn't been that long ago that it did?!  Depending on your age, I guess, as to what your perspective is.

Two, I had a relative/ancestral link to James Alexander "Alex" Givens who may have died as a result of some type of railroad accident, in June of 1921 near or at Falco, Alabama (Falco is some 28 miles north of Crestview).  He is my great granduncle.  His father, John Witherspoon Givens, was my second great grandfather.  

There are a couple of interesting incidents that kind of branch off from what you've read so far.  

In the 1970's (I'm guessing, here), my mother (Opal Givens Hill) and dad, (Wiley Benjamin "Ben" Hill), were staying out at a condo at the El Matador on Okaloosa Island.  It was the nature of my dad when he met new people, to always ask them about their ancestral history; he was the proverbial genealogist guru in our family.

On this occasion, he got into a conversation with Lydia Angelyn Givens Taylor.  She had married the fellow who was the founder of "Taylor Auto Parts", Robert Perkins Taylor.  They were taking some time off and vacationing via the Emerald Coast.  

My dad, who  upon discovering the heritage of Lydia Angelyn Taylor, exclaimed, "My wife's father was a Givens"!  Pretty soon, he had a promise from Lydia Angelyn that she would write down some of her family's history.  After all, it was her father who had suffered a premature death at Falco.  James Alexander Givens "Alex" died back in 1921; he left behind his wife, Rose Emma (nee Henley) and nine children, including this Lydia Angelyn.  

Rose returned home to Andalusia and raised her children in the large home that is now owned (after extensive renovation and restoration) by Linda Palmer and her husband of Huntsville, Alabama. 

Hurrah for Historical Markers

Don't stop with visiting historical markers or just taking photos.  Look for web sites like this one.

This site gives not just background information but contains people's names that may or may not be your relatives.  These folks may have associated with your family members.  These names are historically linked to a place and a time.  

Our research must take us not just to the names of our ancestors but also include the dates and places, the events and the history that are associated with them.